Well, I chalk that up to a matter of timing. If we offer that 3rd first, I think he's ours...but that's two parts immaterial, three parts speculation...

EDIT: @gaucho, oh without a doubt he does, a very good point. As someone that has followed Fistric's entire development, I identified him as someone that would have fit our system well while fulfilling a need. That's the only reason why I brought it up. pcm's point is more valid than mine. Any other d-man goes in a trade like that and I don't say a word about it...

With Dallas, normally I'd be able to tell you because I had a very deep "in" with them but not any longer...I'll see if I can get the info, even for my own knowledge, next time I phone them...

Shame, I had my eye on Fistric as a nice physical crease clearer but have to agree that the Pens defensive questions relate to three of the top 4. Mikey, since you saw Fistric filling a need, are there any teams doubtful for playoffs or facing cap issues that could be exploited for a top 4 gritty/physical D-man should the need be proven by the deadline?

During the trade deadline last year I said on here I would love to see RS go after Ryan Clowe. Obviously, did not happen so I'm throwing it out there again.

Pro's:We found a winger for teh Sid!!!6'2 225lbs better option than a Ryan Malone reunion imo, but I do like Malone as well.Can play and fight if the situation calls for it. (bodyguard for Sid) Cap hit of 3.625UFA after this season - If the experiment does not work out cut ties and wish him wellHe's currently 30 so if it does work out we could possibly extend him at a fair rate.

Looking at their roster they are pretty set for their top 4. Their bottom pairing is Douglas Murray and Jason Demers. I don't know about Demers to know if one of our 5,6,7,8,9 Dmen would be an upgrade over him or not. The thing that sticks out to me is their legit "D" prospects look pretty thin. If one of their top 4 gets injured they might want some depth. I'm not saying throw one of our top guns like Depres, Morrow or Harrington their way, but we might be able to figure something out with them. For Clowe I would offer a 3rd round pick, choice of Lovejoy with either Bortuzzo, Strait, Reese. I would consider Niskanen as well with a different combo. A higher draft pick with an NHL ready D prospect (granted still somewhat at project stage) hopefully would be enough. I might be possibly over-weighing their value, but at least they all have some NHL game experience and younger.

I like the idea of Clowe, I just think we will need to give up more than what was offered. You have to remember San Jose will probably be in the playoff hunt and would not want to lose NHL players unless they get an effective one back.

I think if we need forward depth at the deadline, guys like Iginla (although that might be a pipe dream), Morrow, Lupul, and Matt Lombardi are the more realisitic options because of their free agent status and will possibly be on teams outside of the playoffs come April.

praxitas wrote:During the trade deadline last year I said on here I would love to see RS go after Ryan Clowe. Obviously, did not happen so I'm throwing it out there again.

Pro's:We found a winger for teh Sid!!!6'2 225lbs better option than a Ryan Malone reunion imo, but I do like Malone as well.Can play and fight if the situation calls for it. (bodyguard for Sid) Cap hit of 3.625UFA after this season - If the experiment does not work out cut ties and wish him wellHe's currently 30 so if it does work out we could possibly extend him at a fair rate.

Looking at their roster they are pretty set for their top 4. Their bottom pairing is Douglas Murray and Jason Demers. I don't know about Demers to know if one of our 5,6,7,8,9 Dmen would be an upgrade over him or not. The thing that sticks out to me is their legit "D" prospects look pretty thin. If one of their top 4 gets injured they might want some depth. I'm not saying throw one of our top guns like Depres, Morrow or Harrington their way, but we might be able to figure something out with them. For Clowe I would offer a 3rd round pick, choice of Lovejoy with either Bortuzzo, Strait, Reese. I would consider Niskanen as well with a different combo. A higher draft pick with an NHL ready D prospect (granted still somewhat at project stage) hopefully would be enough. I might be possibly over-weighing their value, but at least they all have some NHL game experience and younger.

You've got to look at this from San Jose's side. Why do they want to get rid of Clowe? My guess is they don't. But, if they do, they'd be looking to use him as a way to fill a legitimate hole -- and there would be a lot of interested teams, which likely means the Penguins would have to offer more than a draft pick a 6/7 type defenseman and a low level prospect. San Jose is in win-now mode. They're not giving up a piece to the puzzle without getting an equal or better piece to the puzzle in return.

Put it this way, Dupuis is a similar production forward. Like Clowe, he's not in the rumor mill as being available. Would you be happy to get another team's 3rd rounder, 6/7 defenseman and low level prospect for Dupuis? Value-wise, it might seem fair, but how does it help the Penguins, a team with aspirations of winning now? It doesn't.

Team is set until the trade deadline. Any lines with your top 4 as Kuntiz, Crosby, Neal and malkin will be more than fine and Dupuis is a legit top 6 player right now. Loks like the hot hand gets the spot with Malkin, Tangradi, bennett, Jeffrey and Kennedy are all edquate for now.

2rd line is rock solid, same with the 4th. Defense could be shaky unless they all play to their best potential and don't play stupid. Bortuzzo will be the surprise this year and get 20+ earned minutes by end of year and be a fixture on the PK. Hopefully Strait also continues his development to Scuds 2.0. And if Despres plays well too we will be fine.

We essentially have one #1 defense man in Letang, 3 #4 with Orpik, Martin and Niskanen and 2 #6 with Lovejoy and Engellend and then Bortuzzo, Strait and Despres can end up being anywhere in the lineup.

This is our team, like it or not. I happen to like it as long as they play smart and play hard all game. Any move will be at the deadline to either provide depth on the 4th line like Craig Adams did in 2009, a wall on defense like Gill in 2008 or if no one works at all with Malkin seeing a Hossa trade again since I think we do have some decent talent that could land almost anyone especially fi there are cap reasons.

Defence21 wrote:You've got to look at this from San Jose's side. Why do they want to get rid of Clowe? My guess is they don't. But, if they do, they'd be looking to use him as a way to fill a legitimate hole -- and there would be a lot of interested teams, which likely means the Penguins would have to offer more than a draft pick a 6/7 type defenseman and a low level prospect. San Jose is in win-now mode. They're not giving up a piece to the puzzle without getting an equal or better piece to the puzzle in return.

Put it this way, Dupuis is a similar production forward. Like Clowe, he's not in the rumor mill as being available. Would you be happy to get another team's 3rd rounder, 6/7 defenseman and low level prospect for Dupuis? Value-wise, it might seem fair, but how does it help the Penguins, a team with aspirations of winning now? It doesn't.

I can absolutely agree with what your saying.

I wasn't saying the trade needed to be done by weeks end, but at some point during the season. (lots of "if's" forthcoming) If SJ has not been able to extend him by say mid feb I would start making phone calls. If SJ believes a couple weeks later they may lose him for nothing they may be more open to moving him. Depending how talks were going I would probably up it to a 2nd rounder plus picks / prospects discussed above. But, the whole basis why I used him as a target was him possibly being already available at the deadline depending how SJ's season was going.

Defence21 wrote:You've got to look at this from San Jose's side. Why do they want to get rid of Clowe? My guess is they don't. But, if they do, they'd be looking to use him as a way to fill a legitimate hole -- and there would be a lot of interested teams, which likely means the Penguins would have to offer more than a draft pick a 6/7 type defenseman and a low level prospect. San Jose is in win-now mode. They're not giving up a piece to the puzzle without getting an equal or better piece to the puzzle in return.

Put it this way, Dupuis is a similar production forward. Like Clowe, he's not in the rumor mill as being available. Would you be happy to get another team's 3rd rounder, 6/7 defenseman and low level prospect for Dupuis? Value-wise, it might seem fair, but how does it help the Penguins, a team with aspirations of winning now? It doesn't.

I can absolutely agree with what your saying.

I wasn't saying the trade needed to be done by weeks end, but at some point during the season. (lots of "if's" forthcoming) If SJ has not been able to extend him by say mid feb I would start making phone calls. If SJ believes a couple weeks later they may lose him for nothing they may be more open to moving him. Depending how talks were going I would probably up it to a 2nd rounder plus picks / prospects discussed above. But, the whole basis why I used him as a target was him possibly being already available at the deadline depending how SJ's season was going.

That's more possible, though still unlikely. Again, let's think of it from a Penguins perspective. It's the trade deadline and Dupuis is an impending free agent while the Penguins are pushing toward the playoffs with Cup aspirations. Do we trade Dupuis to avoid losing him for nothing, or do we take a gamble, hoping he helps the Penguins win the Cup, then deal with his contract when the season is over?

Most competitive teams are adding free agents to their rosters at the trade deadline, not shipping them out. Think of the Penguins most prominent deadline acquisitions in the past: Roberts, Hossa, Dupuis, Ponikarovski, Kovalev, Guerin, etc. These are players whose contracts were up at season's end, who were coming from non-playoff-bound teams.

If the Penguins want Clowe, one of two things will have to happen. One, they'll need to send an equally-valued NHL player to San Jose to fill a need, or two, they'll need to wait until the season ends and look to swing a pre-free agency deal to acquire his negotiating rights.

I can see a deadline deal of one of our young D like Derrick Pouliot, Tangradi and a 2nd rounder for Evander Kane (seems to wearing out his welcome in the 'Peg) Winnipeg would have to be well out of the playoff hunt

Indyman wrote:I can see a deadline deal of one of our young D like Derrick Pouliot, Tangradi and a 2nd rounder for Evander Kane (seems to wearing out his welcome in the 'Peg) Winnipeg would have to be well out of the playoff hunt

or some sort of overpay for Iginla

or, as somebody mentioned, Ryan Clowe

The thing about a shortened season is we really don't know what teams will be in or out of the playoff hunt at any given time. Toronto has a habit of starting seasons off hot, which could put them in position for their first playoff birth in forever... similar could be said about the Islanders.